Panaji: Goa police’s crime branch on Wednesday arrested five suspects for their alleged involvement in a
fake certificate racket
.
Crime branch SP Rahul Gupta said that Bindi Parab, 34, allegedly created fraudulent marksheets and certificates of various educational institutions with fake academic credentials, and sold them for fees ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 1,35,000.
The accused, apart from Parab, from Gandaulim, are Bhavesh Haldankar, 33, from Chorao, Niraj Gawade, 31, from Piligao, Vishnudas Bhomkar, 42, from Carambolim, and Yeshwant Kholkar, 37, from Taleigao.
Parab told police that Haldankar acted as the agent of ‘Violet Khandepal of Grace Education’.
Gupta said that Gawade and Bhomkar received fake certificates of a public distance learning university and an open school respectively from Parab, while Kholkar received a fake certificate from one Rajendra Gaude from Ponda.
“During the course of the investigation, Parab confessed to issuing certificates for multiple institutions. The fee structure varied according to academic levels, with charges ranging from Rs 25,000-35,000 for Class X to XII, while graduate courses cost between Rs 55,000 and Rs 1,35,000,” he said.
Gupta also said that Parab issued 15 to 20 fake certificates to different individuals, and that payments were accepted through Google Pay and cash transactions.
He further said that an investigation is underway and efforts are being made to trace more accused persons involved in this racket.
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